Discussion Prep Sheet For Anthem By Ayn Rand

Name: Emma Deiana

Anthem by Ayn Rand

Discussion Prep Sheet

Please submit these notes to Turnitin.com BEFORE the class discussion.

Please print out a hard copy for the class discussion. Thank you.

The Class Discussion is Tuesday, March 15th. You will need printed notes for that day.

Rules for Discussion

Notes must be typed and printed prior to class.

Share your mind map.

Practice active listening. Engage in conversation.

Quote the text (your typed notes and the novel are your “texts”).

Do not look at me. Look at your group members.

Sustain discussion for at least 20 minutes.

Entire Text

Major Characters by Name

Equality 7-2521: The main character of the novel. He is innately interested in science and is chastised for that by his teachers.

The quote shows the basic and overall belief of the world in this book. That belief is that it is a sin to have individual thoughts.

Significant Quote 2:

Page # included

“This is a great sin, to be born with a head too quick. It is not good to be different from our brothers, but it is evil to be superior to them. The teachers told us so, and they frowned when they looked upon us”(21).

Why is Quote #2 significant?:

This quote is important because it shows that in this society it is not seen as a good thing to be smart, and it is especially frowned upon to be smarter than your peers. This government worries about people being smart because that could lead them to develop their own ideas, which they don’t want because they want everyone to think the same way so that they can control the people.

Significant Quote 3:

Page # included

“But I still wonder how it was possible, in those graceless years of transition, long ago, that men did not see whither they were going, and went on, in blindness and cowardice, to their fate” (103)

Why is Quote #3

It shows the importance of not being afraid to question authority.

Open-ended discussion question and answer:

(an open-ended question has many possible answers)

Question: Are all the characters in this book truly equal?

Answer: No. People in the house of Scholars or people in government have more power and believe that they are above everyone, even though they say that it is a sin to think that you are better than your “brothers.” For example, when Equality 7-2521 presents their discovery of electricity to the house of scholars, the council says that they are just street sweepers so they aren’t as smart as the house of scholars.

Open-ended discussion question and answer:

Question: Why has this government gone to such extremes to destroy individuality?

Answer: The government has destroyed individuality because they want to be able to control everyone. They want to be able to control the opinions and thoughts of everyone so that no one speaks against them or causes an uprising.

Theme #1 evident in the text

(remember, themes are written as complete thoughts)

Example: War can change